Nicholls president reflects on highs and lows

Nicholls State University president Stephen Hulbert (right)
accepts a painting of the Laurel Valley Store from
Howell Chiasson at Monday’s Bayou Industrial Group
luncheon at Bayou Country Club in Thibodaux.

Chris Heller/Staff

Sydni DunnStaff Writer

Published: Monday, July 8, 2013 at 10:15 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, July 8, 2013 at 10:15 p.m.

As Stephen Hulbert's presidency at Nicholls State University comes to an end, he is speaking up about his tenure and speaking out against the state government's treatment of higher education.

Nicholls State University president Stephen Hulbert (right)
accepts a painting of the Laurel Valley Store from
Howell Chiasson at Monday’s Bayou Industrial Group
luncheon at Bayou Country Club in Thibodaux.

Chris Heller/Staff

In a speech to members of the Bayou Industrial Group, who honored him at a luncheon Monday, Hulbert candidly recounted the highs and lows of his decade as the university's president.

“We came here in 2003, and we didn't know what we were in for,” Hulbert said. “I can't think of a better place for Steve and Becky Hulbert to spend the final 10 years of their career than in the Bayou Region.”

Hulbert, a native of Massachusetts and self-described “damn Yankee,” moved to Thibodaux from Montana, where he was the chancellor of the University of Montana-Western.

When he arrived, he admitted, the learning curve was steep. He joked that he still couldn't pronounce some of the last names.

“I met a ‘Trah-han' over the weekend, and I just recently met a ‘Tray-han,' ” Hulbert said, with a laugh. “Make up your mind about which way you're gonna go.”

He quickly caught on with the help of the community.

“You people might say that you don't like outsiders, but you immediately try to figure out if there's a relationship, whether it's blood relationship or whether it's something we all like,” Hulbert said. “Because of that, it has made 10 years here an incredibly great time in our life, and departure will be extraordinarily difficult.”

In addition to the area's culture and its people, Hulbert praised the gains Nicholls has made in the last 10 years.

The university is graduating more students than ever, it has created new academic programs, it has implemented selective admissions standards and it has built and maintained a strong partnership with Fletcher Technical Community College, among other accomplishments.

But there have been challenges, he said. He noted those hardships were not limited to hurricanes, although there have been 10 names storms to blow through Thibodaux since he began his presidency.

“I've been good to the politicians up until this point in time, so it's time not to be good to the politicians,” Hulbert said, shifting the tone of his speech from complimentary to cautionary. “What we've done is create battle between higher education and government over the past 30 years. We are so far behind the curve in the support of public education that we are damaging everybody from the research institutions, like LSU and Tech, all the way down to the technical colleges.”

“The lack of a plan for higher education is holding us back as a state,” he said.

Hulbert also criticized the growing list of deferred maintenance projects at state universities, which now total about $1.9 billion in improvements.

At Nicholls, he said, the air conditioning system is failing. Instead of replacing it, the university has had to rent one giant system because it doesn't have enough money to purchase one.

He also called out the passage of Senate Bill 204, which he called a “beautifully designed political tactic.” The bill allows Louisiana's community and technical colleges, including Fletcher, to borrow about $252 million for improvement projects for their urban and rural facilities.

It sidestepped the typical process of allocating money to the schools, and it wasn't thoroughly planned out, he said.

Although the borrowed money will help build new facilities, he said, the colleges likely will not be given enough money each year to fill those new buildings with support and maintenance staff.

“I haven't touched on the budget, and I'm not going to bother to,” Hulbert said.

He did say, however, the cuts to higher education budgets in the last six years have been “staggering.”

“People ask me, ‘How does Nicholls continue to do its job?' ”

he said. “I'll tell you — on the backs of the employees.”

The university hasn't been able to award pay increases in six years, and it has had to scale back work hours and employees.

This is all while charging students more money in tuition and fees, he said.

Hulbert, checking his watch, ended his speech on a positive note. Despite the challenges, he said he is “proud of the time he spent in Thibodaux, Houma and Morgan City” and “proud of the generations of graduates that have passed through the institution.”

Bayou Industrial Group and Lafourche Parish government recognized Hulbert for his successful efforts to improve Nicholls.

The group presented Hulbert with the first ever “Big Achiever” award, and Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph drafted an official proclamation honoring him.

“No matter where you went and whom you met, you always had a smile on your face and took the time to learn more and more each day about our great region,” said Dr. Ricky Melancon, the group's executive vice president. “Your passion for helping to expand and strengthen Nicholls (State) University faculty, students and the campus facilities would only grow each year. In the face of budget challenges and natural disasters ... you have stood your ground as a champion of our school and our region as a whole.”

Hulbert's retirement is effective Aug. 1. He plans to move to Arizona with his wife, spend more time with his family and work with the Registry for College and University Presidents.

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